Written Answers Wednesday 4 October 2006

Scottish Executive

Alcohol and Drug Misuse

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time was for a place on (a) drug and (b) alcohol rehabilitation programmes in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board and local authority area.

Hugh Henry: Information on waiting times for alcohol services is not requested centrally.

  Average waiting times are not regarded as a particularly effective measure of the availability and efficiency of drug services. Information from the Waiting Times Information Framework showing the length of time waited for community based support and/or rehabilitation and for residential detoxification and rehabilitation by NHS board and Alcohol and Drug Action Team (ADAT) area has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 40510).

Asylum Seekers

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on whether Home Office procedures in respect of the treatment of asylum seekers who have been assessed as having mental health problems ensure compliance with the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003.

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it takes to ensure that persons who fall within the terms of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 are treated appropriately under that legislation where they are individuals for whom the Home Office has responsibility.

Lewis Macdonald: In general all patients in Scotland will have access to mental health services under the 2003 act. The Scottish Executive has no specific obligations towards asylum seekers under the 2003 act. The Home Office has an interest in relation to asylum seekers and other persons who are subject to immigration control. There are protocols in place between the Home Office and local agencies in respect of treatment for mental disorder, including treatment under the 2003 act of detained asylum seekers.

Asylum Seekers

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what powers local authorities have to assist asylum seekers who have been assessed as having mental health problems under the terms of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003.

Lewis Macdonald: Local authorities generally have the same powers to assist asylum seekers under the 2003 act as they do to assist any other person under the act. Local authorities have a number of functions in relation to persons who are not in hospital and who have or have had a mental disorder. These are outlined in chapter 2 of part 4 to the 2003 act and include functions for making or securing provision for care and support services (section 25), providing or securing the provision of services designed to promote well-being and social development (section 26) and providing or securing the provision of facilities for, or assistance with, travel (section 27) for such persons. Local authorities also have a duty under the act to inquire into individual cases in certain circumstances where they believe that a person in their area who is aged 16 years or over has a mental disorder (section 33).

Asylum Seekers

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has issued to local authorities in relation to treatment of asylum seekers under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive has not issued guidance on the treatment of asylum seekers under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003.

Asylum Seekers

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that its obligations to asylum seekers covered by the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 are met.

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied with the treatment of asylum seekers in areas within its responsibility under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment)(Scotland) Act 2003.

Lewis Macdonald: Scottish ministers have no specific obligations to asylum seekers under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003. The Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland has a duty to visit people with mental disorder including those who may be subject to the 2003 act. I understand the commission’s visit programme will include asylum seekers. There are powers under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 for the Mental Welfare Commission to carry out an investigation into the circumstances of the care and treatment received in any case reported to it where it appears to the commission that there may have been deficiencies of care.

Asylum Seekers

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any of the terms of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 are disapplied by UK legislation.

Lewis Macdonald: No. Section 115 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 provides that certain persons who are subject to immigration control are not entitled to specified benefits. Provision is made in regulation 14 of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 (Consequential Provisions) Order 2005 that no services shall be provided by local authorities under sections 25 to 27 of the 2003 act to a person to whom section 115 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 applies solely because he is destitute or because of the physical effects, or anticipated physical effects, of his being destitute. However, those provisions do not disapply the local authorities’ powers to provide services to such a person under the 2003 act.

Asylum Seekers

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any ministers or deputy ministers have written to the Home Office regarding the impact of immigration and asylum legislation and Home Office practice on their responsibilities under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003.

Lewis Macdonald: Scottish Executive ministers have not written to the Home Office regarding the impact of immigration and asylum legislation and Home Office practice on their responsibilities under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland)Act 2003.

Education

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings the Minister for Education and Young People has had with the chair of the Scottish Science Advisory Committee since May 2003.

Peter Peacock: I have not met Professor Sibbett, the chair of this committee, but my officials met him on 22 October 2004 to discuss his committee’s report on science education and to explain in more detail our future plans for review of the curriculum.

Education

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the British Red Cross campaign for first aid education for pupils in schools.

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has, and what resources it will allocate, to implement first aid education for pupils in schools.

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many schools and pupils will be included in any plans to implement first aid education for pupils in schools.

Peter Peacock: Health education is an important element of every young person’s education. We expect all schools to provide health education within a comprehensive programme of personal and social education. However, it is for individual schools and local authorities to decide the content of the health education programmes they deliver and how they allocate their resources.

  The current review of the curriculum, A Curriculum for Excellence, recognises the need for young people to develop the knowledge and understanding, skills and abilities necessary for their physical, emotional and social well being. Review work to date has demonstrated that space can be found in the curriculum for learning in depth and for wider experiences such as first aid. We will be publishing very soon the first of a series of documents which pave the way for full implementation of the new curriculum.

  We are currently considering how best to recognise the wider achievements of all young people across Scotland. Work is on-going to consider these issues and we shall publish a package of proposals in due course.

Energy Efficiency

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware that Renewable Devices’ Swift Rooftop Wind Energy System is not available in Scotland through the exclusive distributors Scottish and Southern Energy.

Nicol Stephen: The Swift system has been installed in a number of locations with support from the Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative. I understand that refinements have been made to the system and that it is currently being monitored in a number of locations across Scotland before being made more widely available.

Enterprise

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance it gives to promote new business start-ups in the refugee community.

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance it gives to promote new business start-ups by immigrants from the EU accession states.

Nicol Stephen: The promotion of new business start-ups in Scotland is an operational matter for the Enterprise Networks.

Enterprise

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it has committed to the promotion of business creation in the refugee community in each year since 1999.

Nicol Stephen: Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise undertake promotion events to encourage individuals to start-up in business. Details on the funding spent on this activity is an operational issue for the Enterprise Networks.

Enterprise

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to support refugees and migrants who wish to start new businesses but are unable to access start-up funding from banks and other lending institutions.

Nicol Stephen: Responsibility for assisting individuals wishing to start a new business rests with Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. In the Scottish Enterprise area, Business Gateway can provide access to information and advice, including on aspects relating to funding.

  In the Highlands and Islands area, access to business support is through Highlands and Islands Enterprise’s network of nine Local Enterprise Companies (LECs).

Enterprise

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what barriers to progress are encountered by refugees and migrants who wish to start new businesses.

Nicol Stephen: Assessment of the barriers to business start-up, and the mechanisms to addressing these constraints, is an operational matter for the Enterprise Networks.

External Relations

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to promote investment opportunities in Scotland to businesses in Australia.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive, through its trade and investment arm Scottish Development International (SDI), has had part-time representation in Australia since 2003.

  In January 2006 SDI appointed a full-time country manager for Australia and New Zealand to increase Scotland’s involvement in the Australian market and to encourage Australian companies to do business in and with Scotland.

  SDI is currently engaging with major Australian companies at executive level to explore opportunities for investment in Scotland.

External Relations

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what monies are spent abroad on advertising Scotland as a place to invest.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive, through its trade and investment arm, Scottish Development International (SDI), plans to spend £225,000 abroad in 2006-07 on advertising Scotland as a place in which and with which to do business.

  SDI’s total overseas marketing budget for 2006-07, of which advertising is a subset, is £3 million. Other principal market activities funded out of this budget include direct and e-marketing campaigns, public relations, events and exhibitions.

External Relations

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what business links it has promoted with Australia and the Australian states and what steps it will take to enhance these links.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive, through its trade and investment arm Scottish Development International (SDI), has been involved in a number of marketing activities to promote business links. These include attendance at AusBiotech 2005, the main conference and exhibition for the biotechnology and life sciences industry, and at CeBIT Australia 2006, Australia’s leading information and communications technology event. SDI also sponsored an Australian British Chamber of Commerce networking lunch in August 2006, at which the British High Commissioner to Australia, the Rt Hon Helen Liddell, spoke about trade and cultural links between the UK and Australia. SDI will continue to actively promote Scotland as a place to do business in and with.

  The Scottish Executive signed a sister state agreement in March 2006 with the Australian State of Victoria which will promote collaboration in the areas of health, education, trade tourism and social policy.

External Relations

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how successful Scottish Development International has been in attracting inward investment from Australia.

Nicol Stephen: Scottish Development International’s (SDI’s) focus is on areas that offer the best potential and we intend to target the larger companies in the life sciences, energy, financial and related services and micro and opto electronics sectors. We are currently working with a number of significant Australian companies offering help and assistance with legal, property and intellectual property issues.

External Relations

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how successful Scottish Development International has been in creating business links between Scotland and Australia.

Nicol Stephen: Scottish Development International (SDI) is currently engaging with major Australian companies at executive level to explore opportunities for investment in Scotland.

  Recent successes include the appointment of John Stewart, Managing Director and Group Chief Executive, National Australia Bank to Scottish Enterprise’s International Advisory Board (IAB). The IAB provides international business advice and a market development perspective to Scotland’s economic development efforts. John Stewart has also recently become a globalscot. The globalscot network harnesses the talents, creativity and commitment of many Scots and friends of Scotland who are active in international business around the world. Australian financial services software company Bravura Solutions recently announced its intention to locate in Edinburgh creating around 57 jobs of which 50 are high-value jobs.

Further Education

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish its plans for the future of the PFI/PPP project at West Lothian College, including details of any additional public expenditure committed.

Nicol Stephen: Options for the future of the PFI arrangements at West Lothian College remain under consideration by the Scottish ministers.

Income

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what details it holds or has access to on the distribution of earnings in (a) Scotland and (b) each (i) parliamentary region, (ii) local enterprise company area, (iii) local authority area, (iv) parliamentary constituency and (v) Scottish Westminster parliamentary constituency.

Nicol Stephen: The official source of pay estimates is the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), which is carried out by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

  Through a Service Level Agreement the Scottish Executive has access to the micro-data for this survey therefore analyses of the distribution of earnings can be carried out for Scotland and the local areas specified, given sufficient sample sizes. The survey data are currently available for 1997 to 2005. The use of the data from ASHE are subject to the ONS’ procedures and protocols.

  The ONS provide ASHE distribution statistics (percentiles and quartiles) for Scotland, local enterprise company areas, local authority areas and parliamentary constituencies via their website at:

  http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=14203.

Legal Aid

Richard Lochhead (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to provide access to justice for individuals wishing to pursue legal aid cases in Moray, in light of the number of legal professionals unwilling or unable to take on such cases.

Hugh Henry: The Scottish Executive is taking a number of steps to ensure that there is a nationwide supply of legal aid services to provide access to justice for individuals.

  Firstly, we are working with the Scottish Legal Aid Board and the Law Society of Scotland to ensure that the legal aid fee structure provides adequate remuneration for work necessarily performed by solicitors.

  Secondly, in civil law, the Scottish Legal Aid Board is taking forward the development of a network of publicly employed solicitors where there is unmet need. In criminal law, the Public Defence Solicitors’ Office based in Inverness would cover access to justice issues in Moray.

  Lastly, it is proposed that the Legal Profession and Legal Aid (Scotland) Bill should include provision for funding non lawyers to provide advice and assistance in specialist areas.

  Ways of supporting use of appropriate technology to facilitate remote provision and minimise administrative burdens on solicitors may also be considered for the future.

Mental Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what rights carers have to an assessment under the provisions of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 and the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002.

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what statutory rights carers of mentally ill people have.

Lewis Macdonald: The Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968, as amended by the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002, gives carers who provide, or intend to provide, care on a regular and substantial basis the right to an assessment of their support needs as a carer. Such an assessment is independent of any assessment of need carried out on the person cared for. Local authorities and NHS boards are also required by the 2002 act to inform carers of their right to an assessment and have a general duty to help and support carers. Local authorities and partner agencies must take the carer’s assessment into account, as well as the views of the carer, in deciding what services to provide to the cared-for person.

  The Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 does not provide for a formal assessment of carers of people with mental health problems. However, it sets out principles which professionals performing functions under the act have to consider. These include taking into account the views of the person’s carer and their needs and circumstances. The person’s primary carer also has the right to appear at hearings of the Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland, to make representation and to lead or produce evidence. These measures support and encourage both patients and their carers to be more meaningfully involved in the care and treatment provided.

Mental Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what timescales are associated with assessments for carers under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 and the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002.

Lewis Macdonald: Under the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968, as amended by the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002, there are no prescribed deadlines within which carer assessments must be conducted.

Mental Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the monitoring arrangements put in place in relation to the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002 and the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 identify the number of carer assessments that have been carried out in each NHS board area and, if so, what scale of need has been identified in each area.

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made regarding the rights of carers of people with a mental illness and whether these rights are being upheld.

Lewis Macdonald: Under the Scottish Executive’s Joint Performance Information and Assessment Framework, local partnerships now set annual targets for completed carers’ assessments and monitor progress against them. This is being done through Local Improvement Targets (LITs) which are agreed by NHS boards, local authorities and other relevant partners. At present LITs focus on older people’s services. From 2007 we plan to extend them to all client groups and to all carers. It is for individual partnerships to aggregate the need identified in carer, and user, assessments in order to plan service provision in their area.

Migration

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to support migrant workers working in Scotland on contracts of less than one year in opening accounts with Scottish banks.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive offers a range of support to migrant workers in Scotland. This includes workers’ information guides in Polish and English, which reflects the fact that over 65% of workers from the new accession states are Polish. The guide is available online, at www.szkocja.eu and www.scotlandistheplace.com or in hard copy, from various public, private and voluntary sector sources, including banks. It contains information about opening bank accounts as well as a range of other information about living and working in Scotland. We are currently looking at also producing this guide in other languages. We recognise that some individuals have experienced difficulty in opening bank accounts and this is an issue which has been raised with the Committee of Scottish Clearing Bankers (which represents all four Scottish clearing banks) on a number of occasions, most recently in July of this year. Scottish banks all have policies on this issue and have opened many thousands of bank accounts for migrant workers over recent years. Any individual experiencing a problem should be encouraged to use the selected bank’s complaints or enquiries process.

Procurement

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Scottish Enterprise in respect of the rundown and subsequent expansion of its Strategic Procurement Hub.

Nicol Stephen: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and as such there have been no discussions with the Executive. Public Appointments

Procurement

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what restrictions were placed on the chair of the Scottish Science Advisory Committee in respect of meeting the UK Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser and why any such restrictions were imposed.

Nicol Stephen: The chair of this committee is not a Scottish Executive official and so cannot represent the Executive in Government committee meetings convened by the Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser. The Executive has not attempted to restrict his meetings with the UK Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser and indeed understands that several such meetings have taken place.

Procurement

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for the future of the Scottish Science Advisory Committee.

Nicol Stephen: Professor Wilson Sibbett will step down as chair of the committee at the end of December. The Executive then plans to run the committee with the existing membership until at least 30 June 2007, under the chairmanship of Professor Anne Glover, the Executive’s new Chief Scientific Adviser. During this time, Professor Glover will review with the committee how best to ensure that the Executive is able to build on the work of its committee and enhance its access to high quality independent advice on science. The Executive will also be inviting responses on this issue as part of its forthcoming consultation on science and innovation strategy.

Procurement

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it announced the appointment of a new Chief Scientific Adviser.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive announced the appointment of Professor Anne Glover as its new Chief Scientific Adviser on 25 May 2006.

Procurement

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why, when and by whom the decision to appoint a civil servant as the Chief Scientific Adviser was taken.

Nicol Stephen: The decision to create this post was taken by the Executive’s Management Group and followed consultation with the Chair of the Scottish Science Advisory Committee and the President of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. The Permanent Secretary notified ministers of this decision on 4 August 2005, and the post was openly advertised on 25 November. Applications were invited from practising scientists or technologists of international reputation, who would be required to maintain active links with the research community once appointed. Professor Anne Glover was appointed after the standard boarding process on a four year secondment from Aberdeen University and she took up post on 1 August. The creation of this post within the Scottish Executive will enable the Scottish Executive to develop and implement its science strategy more effectively. The role will involve co-ordinating and strengthening the management of science across the Executive’s Departments; enhancing the use of science in policy making; developing better links with Whitehall science; developing the science profession within the Executive, and championing and promoting science across Scotland.

Renewable Energy

Richard Lochhead (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in each local authority area have installed renewable energy devices, expressed also as a percentage of all schools in each area.

Peter Peacock: The information requested is not held centrally.

Renewable Energy

Richard Lochhead (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much financial assistance has been made available for schools towards renewable energy installation projects in each of the last three years, showing also the amount awarded by each local authority in the same timescale.

Peter Peacock: The Executive’s general financial support for school buildings is not allocated for specific aspects of investment, although in announcing recently £30 million of extra capital grant we specifically emphasised the benefits and importance of improving energy efficiency in schools. This extra £30 million brings total Schools Fund grant available to authorities this financial year to over £131 million, a five fold increase since 2002-03.

  Local authorities are also eligible to apply for grant from the Scottish Community & Householder Renewables Initiative (SCHRI). Since 2002 grants totalling £587,000 for the installation of renewable energy devices in schools have been made to the following local authorities:

  

Aberdeenshire £100,000
Argyll and Bute £3,553


Dundee City £158,400
East Lothian £15,948


Eilean Siar £48,392
Fife £21,476


Highland £72,183
North Ayrshire £24,618


North Lanarkshire £119,662
Renfrewshire £13,040


Shetland Islands £10,100

Renewable Energy

Richard Lochhead (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of (a) renewable electricity and (b) electricity generated in Scotland in each of the last three years has been accounted for by wind energy, showing year-on-year increases, and what projections it has made in respect of the percentage to be generated through wind energy in each of the next five years.

Nicol Stephen: Statistical information on electricity generation is collected by the UK Government, and published annually in the "Energy Trends" publication available from the Department of Trade and Industry, via the Department’s internet page at:

  http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/statistics/publications/trends/index.html.

  The information on the relevant years is presented in the following table:

  

Year
2003
2004
2005


Wind as percentage of Renewable generation in Scotland
11.8%(+3.9%)
14.4%(+2.6%)
19.7%(+5.3%)


Wind as percentage of Total generation in Scotland
0.9%(+0.1%)
1.7%(+0.8%)
2.6%(+0.9%)



  The Scottish Executive has not set specific targets or projections for wind generation. The Executive has targets of 18% of Scotland’s electricity being generated from renewables by 2010 and 40% by 2020.

Telecommunications

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times it has been found to be in breach of EU Directive 92/44/EEC on the application of open network provision to leased lines; on what grounds it was found to have been in breach of the directive, and what penalties were applied.

Nicol Stephen: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-28577 on 4 October 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Telecommunications

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to ensure that it complies with EU Directive 92/44/EEC on the application of open network provision to leased lines.

Nicol Stephen: Telecommunications regulation is reserved and this matter is under the remit of Ofcom, the independent UK-wide telecoms regulator. I can advise however, that Directive 92/44/EEC was repealed by Article 26 of the Framework Directive (Directive 2002/21/EC) and now the Universal Service Directive, implemented via the UK Communications Act 2003, currently governs leased lines.

Tourism

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its current strategy is for promoting Scotland as a cruise liner destination.

Patricia Ferguson: Cruise liners bring a significant number of visitors to particular areas of Scotland during the year. Accordingly, VisitScotland, with contributory funding from Scottish Enterprise Edinburgh and Lothians, has commissioned research into the scope and potential of the cruise market for Scotland, in order to enable VisitScotland and its partners to consider an appropriate strategy for further developing Scotland as a cruise destination.

Tourism

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on promoting Scotland as a cruise liner destination in each year since 1999.

Patricia Ferguson: VisitScotland very actively promotes Scotland as a visitor destination, although not as a cruise liner destination as such. However, cruise liners bring a significant number of visitors to particular areas of Scotland during the year. That is why VisitScotland, with funding from Scottish Enterprise Edinburgh and Lothians, has recently commissioned research into the scope and potential of the cruise market for Scotland. This will enable VisitScotland and its partners to consider an appropriate strategy for developing Scotland as a cruise destination.